Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

abattoir

/ˈæb.əˌtwɑɹ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.50 in modern English

Syllables: ab-at-toir
IPA: /ˈæb.əˌtwɑɹ/

10

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.

noun

A place or event of great carnage or bloodshed.

Example Sentences

"Once the cows reach maturity, they're sent to the abattoir."
"The army's raid on the enemy turned into a major abattoir."
"The corridors where North Korean troops would be advancing [in a hypothetical invasion of South Korea] would almost certainly be turned into human abattoirs."
"“Now, down here we have the medium security cells and the various abattoirs. Be sure to reserve your spot on the sign-in sheet 'cause the abattoirs get crazy busy.”"

Etymology

Borrowed from French abattoir, from abattre (“to slaughter”) (cognate to abate) + -oir (“-ory”).

Word Breakdown

Root: *bʰedʰ-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈæb.əˌtwɑɹ/
British English: /ˈæb.əˌtwɑː(ɹ)/

Inflected Forms

abattoirs (plural)

Derived Forms

abattoirlike

Phrases

knacker's yard

Frequently Paired Words

knacker's yard

Synonyms

bloodbath butchery shambles slaughterhouse

Rhymes With

are far car star all-star bar guitar hr pr mar par ar

Questions

How do you pronounce abattoir?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæb.əˌtwɑɹ/.
What does abattoir mean?: A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.
Where does abattoir come from?: Borrowed from French abattoir, from abattre (“to slaughter”) (cognate to abate) + -oir (“-ory”).

How to pronounce abattoir

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “abattoir”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈæb.əˌtwɑɹ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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